Phlox plant named ‘Spinners’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Phlox  plant named ‘Spinners’, characterized by its upright and strong plant habit; freely basally branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit; thick and leathery foliage; attractive red-purple-colored flowers with white stripes; freely and continuous flowering habit; long flowering period; resistance to Powdery Mildew; and excellent garden performance.

Botanical designation: Phlox paniculata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Spinners’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant, botanically known as Phlox paniculata, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Spinners.

The new Phlox is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Zwaanshoek, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new Phlox cultivars with attractive flower coloration, healthy foliage and resistance to Powdery Mildew.

The new Phlox originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 1999 in Callantsoog, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Phlox paniculata identified as code number 98421, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Phlox paniculata identified as code number 96562, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Phlox was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Callantsoog, The Netherlands in 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings at Callantsoog, The Netherlands since 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Phlox are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Spinners have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light level without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Spinners’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Spinners’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox:

-   -   1. Upright and strong plant habit.     -   2. Freely basally branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit.     -   3. Thick and leathery foliage.     -   4. Attractive red purple-colored flowers with white stripes.     -   5. Freely and continuous flowering habit.     -   6. Long flowering period.     -   7. Resistant to Powdery Mildew.     -   8. Excellent garden performance.

Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in flower color. In addition, plants of the new Phlox have healthier foliage than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to the Phlox paniculata cultivar Bright Eyes, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Zwaanshoek, The Netherlands, plants of the new Phlox differed from plants of the cultivar Bright Eyes primarily in flower color as plants of the cultivar Bright Eyes have pink-colored flowers with red purple-colored centers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ2 slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which more accurately describe the actual colors of the new Phlox.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Spinners’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plants of ‘Spinners’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Callantsoog, The Netherlands, in an outdoor nursery and under commercial production practices during the summer. Plants were about 13 weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 5 to 20° C. and night temperatures ranged from 2 to 12° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Phlox paniculata cultivar Spinners. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox paniculata             identified as code number 98421, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox paniculata             identified as code number 96562, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About three weeks at 18° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About five weeks at 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About four weeks at             18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About six weeks at             18° C.         -   Root description.—Thick; well-branched. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Upright and strong plant habit; conical;             moderately vigorous growth habit. Freely basally branching             habit, dense and bushy growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 85 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 40 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 85 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Internode length: About 4 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Glabrous. Color: 187A; at nodes, 187B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length,             lower leaves: About 18 cm. Width, lower leaves: About             4.6 cm. Length, upper leaves: About 10.5 cm. Width, upper             leaves: About 3.7 cm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex: Acuminate.             Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Leathery, thick; glabrous. Venation pattern:             Pinnate. Color: Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: 143A. Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper             and lower surfaces: 144B. Venation, upper surface: 143A;             towards midrib base, 144D. Venation, lower surface: 144D.             Petiole: Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: 144D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single, rounded salverform flowers             arranged in terminal panicles; flowers face upright and             outward. Panicles conical in shape. Freely flowering habit             with about 18 to 25 flower buds and flowers per             inflorescence and about 90 to 120 flowers per plant.         -   Fragrance.—Faint to moderate; sweet.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering from July             through September in The Netherlands. Flowers not             persistent.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about four days on             the plant.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Shape: Tubular. Color: 68D.         -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 2.5 cm. Depth: About 1.6 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Lobe             length: About 1.5 cm. Lobe width: About 1 cm. Shape: Obovate             to fan-shaped. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Mostly             flat; margins slightly curved upwards. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Developing petals,             upper and lower surfaces: 68A with longitudinal stripes             along the margins, 155D. Fully expanded petals, upper and             lower surfaces: 70D with longitudinal stripes along the             margins, 155D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl, fused; narrow tubular calyx. Length: About 5 mm.             Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Apiculate. Apex: Acuminate.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             five; fused with petals in tube. Anther shape: Oblong.             Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther color: 2D. Pollen             amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 2D. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: Typically one. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Stigma             shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: 154D. Style length: About             1.4 cm. Style color: 154D. Ovary color: 142C.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Phlox have been noted to     be resistant to Powdery Mildew. Plants of the new Phlox have not     been noted to be resistant to other pathogens and pests common to     Phlox. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and are winter     hardy in The Netherlands. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant named ‘Spinners’, as illustrated and described. 